Class of 2009
The "Class of 2009" commencement exercise held at New Life Fellowship Assembly of God Church on Saturday, June 6, was a wonderful event attended by over 500 people.
Commencement began with an opportunity for visitors to survey the senior display boards that included pictures and displays that recapped their life experiences from near birth to graduation. The formal ceremony began with the seniors entering the sanctuary to "Pomp & Circumstance" played by the TRCS band directed by Harvey Redmond. Mr. Don Walters, TRCS School Board President, opened with a welcome and prayer to all who attended. The TRCS band then played the national anthem.
Abby Doehne, salutatorian, then addressed her fellow seniors and audience. She began by sharing a special memory she had about each senior. Abby then shared how the class has grown spiritually, grown in friendships, and grown in character. Using Romans 8:38, she expressed confidence that God had huge plans for each of them. She closed with, "...Our pasts have shaped our futures and God will use those things that have happened to shape us into amazing, bold, God-fearing people. I expect great things from all of us." Abby then introduced the senior class video.
The video captured the seniors in some group activities at the beginning and ended with a special three-minute clip on each senior with selected pictures of the senior, their selected verse, and finishing with the senior giving a "thank you" to those who helped them toward graduation and a glimpse of their future plans. Following the video, Heidi Ness, valedictorian, presented her speech.
Heidi began by stating that she didn't have a bunch of fancy words, because "...that wouldn’t be us. After all, we're not exactly your usual batch of seniors. We're the kind of seniors who wear knee-high, striped, neon socks to our last basketball game; write songs about random gifts we were given; make videos of ourselves without arms; and memorize unusual dances which we perform in front of the entire school. Oh, and we are also the kind of seniors who sneak our principal's VW Bug into the gym. I couldn't be more proud of the kind of seniors we are.” Heidi expressed appreciation for all the skills learned that will help them through college and future jobs, but that, "…what we've learned from each other will help us far beyond that. We've fought, we've cried, we've laughed until we cried, and we've just grown up together. Which, of course, makes it that much harder to say goodbye." She challenged her classmates that since they are a one-of-a-kind individual, don't waste your one shot in life down here. She quoted Marc S. Lewis: "The person who you're with the most in life is yourself, and if you don't like yourself, you're always stuck with somebody you don't like." She said, "Who you are will never limit you. It's who you think you're not that will bring you down. Class of 2009, I believe the future holds wonderful things for you. You will be great people and do great things. I only ask you to remember that great things are made of many small things. I'm proud of you and can't wait to see what you will become."
Wayne Hayes, Principal, then announced that the seniors wished to give a flower to those people who had blessed them in their journey toward graduation. The seniors then proceeded to give flowers to people throughout the sanctuary. Following that, Wayne Hayes directed some comments to both the seniors and audience. He used two stories to illustrate how they might consider living out their lives. One was concerning a father of a child with learning disabilities. The morale of the story was that how we treat those with mental or physical disability reflects our true human nature. The challenge was: "As you begin this next step in your life, you will perhaps have similar opportunities where you must choose between doing something to benefit yourself versus doing something that will benefit another. I pray God will encourage you toward the latter." A second story was about a music student with limited talent whose mother was deaf. Reluctantly the piano teacher took him as a student and had little faith that he would succeed. Overcoming many obstacles, he performed a marvelous piece at the recital. The challenge to the seniors was: "...I pray you will not only have the love, confidence and perseverance shown by Robby, but that you will always look upon others as someone created by God with great potential and worthy of being given a chance to succeed.” The last illustration was concerning objects placed in a wide-mouth jar. The lesson was that to get everything in the jar, you must always put the big things in first. The Bible reference was Matt. 6:30-33, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things,' Jesus reminded His hearers. 'But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.'" The challenge to the seniors was: "I pray that as you take this next step in your life, that you will always take care of the big thing first, by making your relationship with Jesus your first priority. Always seek God's Will first in everything you do. It is God's desire to bless you and have you bear much good fruit. May His Holy Spirit empower you to do things beyond your wildest dreams. You will be missed by all of us here at TRCS." Mr. Hayes then announced to Mr. Walters, "I am proud to announce that the graduates seated on this platform, to the best of our knowledge, have satisfactorily completed the prescribed 'Course of Study' for graduation for both the State of Washington and Three Rivers Christian School."
Diplomas were then presented to the following seniors with TRCS staff congratulating them prior to their re-entry onto the stage: Christina Marie Walters, Moriah Amber Urseth, Christian David Scot Schmutz, Rachel Marie Rasmussen, Shannon Elizabeth Pedersen, Karen Lynn Noblin, Leah Raylynn Morrison, Kyle Austin Manning, Shayna Nicole Kirby, Kelsey Rae Joslen, Kara Lynn Jorgensen, Katelynn Michelle Janicki, Ashley Christine Hawley, Madison Nicole Hadaller, Dustin James Hadaller, Julia Marie Graves, Alyssa Marie Golding, Shelby Nichole Alexander, Abigail Leigh Doehne, and last but not least, Heidi Joy Ness. Upon returning to the stage, Heidi led the class to the "changing of the tassel." The seniors then exited the sanctuary to the recessional played by the TRCS band. A reception followed in the fellowship hall.